Survey: What are your target levels for Ca, Alk, Mg, etc?

[anemonous]

I've searched the site but haven't found a concise answer (sorry if I have missed it), so here's my survey:

What are your target parameters for Ca, alk, Mg, pH, salinity, temp, etc?
What salt do you use? Does your freshly-made salt mix match your target parameters?
How big is your system? What's the load? Approximately how much do you dose each day? If you are using BRS two-part, do you use the same amounts of Ca and Alk solutions?

Here are the targets I am going with so far for my tank (but obviously wondering if these are good):
Temp = 78-80
Salinity = 1.025
pH = 8.2
Ca = 420
Alk = 9
Mg = 1320
ammonia/nitrites/nitrates/phos = 0

I am using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. The Ca and Alk in the salt mix (according to the label) are a bit higher than my targets.

75 g DT/15 g sump with a light load (so far) with fish, anem, soft corals. I haven't gotten the dosing stabilized yet so can't say what it is.

 

[mikejrice]

Good set of info to compile. I'll be interested to see this as well.

My targets numbers
Calcium: 450
Alkalinity: 10
Magnesium: 1350
Nitrate: Barely readable
Phosphate: Barely readable
Temperature: 78
Salinity: 1.025

I use Kent salt which tests out to be just a little bit higher than what I'm shooting for.

My system is a 30 gallon with HEAVY calcium consumption which demands heavy dosing of calcium and alkalinity.

 

[jda123]

I use a different salt depending on what I am keeping. For my SPS, I use Instant Ocean or Tropic Marin since their metal count is more of what I am wanting for really good SPS color - neither are prefect out of the box, but are easily supplemented. For a mixed reef, then maybe straight IO. Mixing two or three different kinds of salts is pretty popular for the old timers and high-end hobbyists - there are several that mix up nearly perfect (IO and Oceanic is one that was REALLY popular, but each changed their formula).

I might recommend that you test 3 -4 batches for parameters - salt will settle during shipment and doesn't always mix the same. Red Sea is one of the ones that benefits from dry mixing of the salt.

In my SPS tank look for about 7 dKh, 390-395 calcium at 1.026. In my mixed reef, 9, 425 and 1.026 is good. I don't care about temp, mag or PH too much in either tank.

 

[anemonous]

I use a different salt depending on what I am keeping. For my SPS, I use Instant Ocean or Tropic Marin since their metal count is more of what I am wanting for really good SPS color - neither are prefect out of the box, but are easily supplemented. For a mixed reef, then maybe straight IO. Mixing two or three different kinds of salts is pretty popular for the old timers and high-end hobbyists - there are several that mix up nearly perfect (IO and Oceanic is one that was REALLY popular, but each changed their formula).

I might recommend that you test 3 -4 batches for parameters - salt will settle during shipment and doesn't always mix the same. Red Sea is one of the ones that benefits from dry mixing of the salt.

In my SPS tank look for about 7 dKh, 390-395 calcium at 1.026. In my mixed reef, 9, 425 and 1.026 is good. I don't care about temp, mag or PH too much in either tank.

I don't think I've got it in me to mix salts. That's hard core! But it's interesting to me how much difference there is between salt mixes. It seems like it will cut down on dosing if I just start with something close to what I want it to be. One thing about the Red Sea Coral Pro Salt that I've been using for about a year is that it seems to me to precipitate more than others I've tried (notably Instant Ocean). I'm more careful now to put the water in the tank first, and then add salt slowly, but still I get chunks in the bottom that are a bit disturbing.

 

[sethsolomon]

My levels:

Temp = 80
Salinity = 1.024
pH = don't care
Ca = 500
Alk = 9-10
Mg = 1450+
potasium = 12ppm
Iron = .2ppm
Stront = 12ppm
Silicates = 0
ammonia/nitrites/nitrates/phos = almost 0

 

[jda123]

The precipitation is most likely either the way that you mix it, or settling of the salt in the shipping container. Dry mix the salt for best results. When you mix, have a full container of water ready when you add the salt, mix vigorously (like with a Mag 12 or 3000 GPH Flow pump, not an MaxiJet 600) and then heat. You are facilitating a complex chemical reaction and the reaction is different for each salt. One of the great things about salts that come in 50G bags is that you can mix the who bag at once and avoid dry mixing and the batches come out great each time. The 50G bagged salts have a reputation for mixing better, but it is the bags that allow it, not the salt mix it's self.

Unless you are going to specialize, then as long as you avoid the salts with the carbon added to them, and as long as you are consistent, then you should have lots of success. If you have a really dirty FO tank with high N and P, then the bio active stuff might be good (carbon added), there are 3-4 salts that are better for high end SPS color, most will work for mixed reefs.

 

[anemonous]

The precipitation is most likely either the way that you mix it, or settling of the salt in the shipping container. Dry mix the salt for best results. When you mix, have a full container of water ready when you add the salt, mix vigorously (like with a Mag 12 or 3000 GPH Flow pump, not an MaxiJet 600) and then heat. You are facilitating a complex chemical reaction and the reaction is different for each salt. One of the great things about salts that come in 50G bags is that you can mix the who bag at once and avoid dry mixing and the batches come out great each time. The 50G bagged salts have a reputation for mixing better, but it is the bags that allow it, not the salt mix it's self.

Unless you are going to specialize, then as long as you avoid the salts with the carbon added to them, and as long as you are consistent, then you should have lots of success. If you have a really dirty FO tank with high N and P, then the bio active stuff might be good (carbon added), there are 3-4 salts that are better for high end SPS color, most will work for mixed reefs.

Thanks for the tip on dry mixing the salt. I would not have thought of that even though it makes sense once you mention it. The ppt issues have mostly dissolved (hahahaha) now that I've gotten a dedicated 30 gal trash can for the mixing tank. I was using 5 gal buckets, which were inconsistent and didn't mix well (not to mention being a major PITA). Seems like every time I improve my whole system (with money), I get better results.

The bagged salts sound like a good idea, except I don't always need to make the same amount each time.

 

[anemonous]

It's interesting that there's a fairly wide range of conditions. Ca from 390 to 500, Alk from 7 to 10. I guess that means that just keeping it stable in the middle of the range will probably give good results.

But maybe not the BEST results... so more questions:
How have you guys come up with your target levels? Is it empirical trial and error, observing what seems to work best? Or have you just picked a target based on some recommendations? If you tweak your levels over time, how do you measure the outcome? The corals just look better somehow? That seems kinda squishy. (So to speak.) How quickly do you notice changes in the corals if the levels fluctuate?

 

[SynDen]

Here is some of the suggested levels from Red-sea depending on your tank

Fish only - sal. 31, Alk 7dkh, Ca 385 and Mg 1220
Soft corals- Sal. 33, alk 8.2dkh, Ca 430, mg 1280
LPS - sal. 33, als 12.1dkh, Ca 440, Mg 1310
SPS (frags and accelerated growth) sal 35, alk 12.6dkh, Ca 465, Mg 1390
SPS (mature, low nutrient) sal 35, Alk 8.2dkh, Ca 430, Mg 1310

My current levels
temp 79-80
ph. 8 or above
Sal. 33 - 1.0245
A = .15 but coming down, Just did a reseal on tank and it started a mini cycle
NO3, No4 = 0
Alk = 10.1
Ca = 425
Mg= 1360

 

[ReefCheif]

I go for

Temp - 80
Sal - 1.025
Alk - 10
Cal - 430
Mag - 1370
PH - I dont really chase this

 

[Rumen]

Temp=80
Cal=470
Alk=9
Mag=1400
Ph never test
Salinity=1.025


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[MuralReef]

Temp=76-78
Cal=450
Alk=7-9
Mag=1300-1400
Ph=don't care
Salinity=1.025

 

[Walter White]

Good set of info to compile. I'll be interested to see this as well.

My targets numbers
Calcium: 450
Alkalinity: 10
Magnesium: 1350
Nitrate: Barely readable
Phosphate: Barely readable
Temperature: 78
Salinity: 1.025

I use Kent salt which tests out to be just a little bit higher than what I'm shooting for.

My system is a 30 gallon with HEAVY calcium consumption which demands heavy dosing of calcium and alkalinity.

This confuses me. All the times I have used Kent its has mixed up around 7dkh, and ~500 Ca. If your target is a dkh of 10 wouldn't the Kent be coming in lower than your target? Others I have spoken to also say Kent mixes low on alk for them. If I read this correctly it just seems strange that Kent would mix up higher than 10dkh and makes me wonder if I got a bad couple batches or something.

Sorry if I'm just misunderstanding.

 

[Munch]

I think there's a bunch of us that use Kent... we outta each test our next batch and post some results.

On that note, I'll start another thread...